First Galactic War.
The First Galactic War was the second of the three great conflicts between the Galactic Republic, and the Terran Imperium. The war itself was a turning point in the cold war between the two Galactic Superpowers, with the Republic finally able to begin holding its ground and fighting back against the Imperium war machine. The war began in 38 BTC (36K.331 CE) and continued on for another 38 years until the eventual signing of the Treaty of Coruscant on 0 ATC (36K.369 CE). The war would live a mark on both sides which would continue on until the Second Galactic War began some three thousand six hundred and thirty-one years later. Names Often called in history books "The beginning of Lelouch's end", this was the conflict that would effectively change the state of the Cold War between the two nations. As for up until this war, the Republic had always born the brunt of the damage and casualties. But after this war, things changed. After this war, everything changed. Background The war stems from the long history of distraught between the Galactic Republic and the Terran Imperium. The two superpowers have long been at odds with each other since the Imperium's founding almost seven thousand years ago. The Cold War between them officially began during the Great Crusade which saw the Imperium's rise as a dominant power in the galaxy alongside the Republic. And ever since then, the two powers have been at each other's throats. Prelude The war began mainly due to a lie. Several weeks before the start of the war, there was an assassination attempt on Emperor Lelouch just outside of the Imperial Palace, regarded as the most secure place in the Imperium. The gunman was killed by authorities in a gunfight. Later on, they discovered ID on him that showed he was a Republic citizen. Warmongering officials in the Imperium manipulated a few facts in the report to make it seem like the Republic had ordered an assassination attempt on Emperor Lelouch. This ended up creating a political crisis in the galaxy as the Republic continually tried to prove their innocence. But the Terran officials made sure their evidence didn't reach Lelouch's ears. And thanks to that, the officials had succeeded in their goal: it gave Lelouch a reason to declare war upon the Galactic Republic...and end it once and for all. Progress of the War Early Campaign The Imperium quickly gained the upper hand in the early campaigns. Pressing forward, the Imperium quickly gained a large amount of ground in the first years of the war. Despite heavy Republic resistance, the Imperium forces were continually urged to march forward, resulting in heavy casualties among the Imperial Guard and Navy. One such example was the Battle of Bothuwai. Stranded on the planet with no hope for reinforcements, A dozen Jedi Knights and less than several thousand Republic troops conducted a guerrilla warfare campaign against the Imperial Guard. It lasted for several months before eventually the Imperium destroyed their forces and took complete control of the planet. However, it costed them dearly, with this small Republic force claiming tens of thousands of Imperial Guardsmen. Another such battle at the beginning of the war the Imperium's destruction of the Sluis Van shipyards. The Sluis Van sector was home to major shipyards for the Republic Navy. This presented to the Imperium as an enticing and valuable target of opportunity. With the Republic forces still scattered following the initial Imperium advance, the Sluis Van sector was almost completely undefended. Imperium fighter squadrons quickly overwhelmed the small Republic presence and destroyed the space stations around the planet. Soon Imperial forces descended upon the sector, completely conquering it without much resistance. However, unlike the Great Crusade, the Republic managed to recover quicker than expected, and they eventually turned the Imperium advance into a long and bloody stalemate which would last from the first three years of the war to near the thirty-fifth year of the war. Mid Campaign Late Campaign Aftermath The war became a massive blunder for the Imperium and to Lelouch's reputation. This long and bloody war became a blunder for him and Imperial citizens began to truly doubt his leadership at this point, with some claiming that the time had come for Lelouch to consider finding someone else to take the throne. Though naturally, he managed to silence all those who managed to gain some sway over the population. For the Republic, there was a feeling of patriotism in the air. They had finally managed to achieve a victory against the seemingly unbeatable Terran Imperium. Soon, this wave of patriotism would follow the Republic all the way to the next Galactic War as they finally defeat the Imperium once and for all as they emerge as the victors of the 10,000 years long Cold War. War Crimes As with the Great Crusade, each side committed war crimes ranging from executions to mass murder. But perhaps the most heinous war crime was committed by the Imperium. The Slaughter of Ziost's population and the soldiers stationed there, commonly referred to as the Fall of Ziost, is a testament to how far Lelouch, 'The Savior of the Terran People' had fallen. And it showed the lengths he would go to ensure his rule continues. Soldiers Experiences Unlike the Great Crusade, the situation was much different for the Imperial military. At the beginning of the war, they were in high spirits for what they saw would be another Imperium victory over the Galactic Republic. But as the tide turned against them and they experienced defeat after defeat, their morale really began to take a nose dive. Add in the failed Siege of Coruscant, and the Imperium military was on the verge of collapse at this point. Meanwhile, the Republic soldiers morale was beginning to skyrocket. As the tide turned in their favor, and they won more battles. The Republic troops could finally begin to see victory on the horizon against the Imperium war machine. For once, they could actually see a Republic victory on the horizon in this endless Cold War. Support and Opposition to the War In the Imperium, there was great support among the population for war in the beginning. The recent assassination attempt on Lelouch made them quite upset and wanting revenge against the Republic for this outrage. But as the war turned against them and their casualties began to mount, there was a large movement in the Imperium to finally end the war before any more people would be killed. Add in the widespread riots, protests, and more...the Imperium was on the brink of civil disorder. Legacy and Memory The war left its mark on both the Imperium and the Republic. In the Republic, the war is celebrated as the nation's first-ever monumental victory against the Imperium. And from that war on, it was known in the Republic History books as 'the turning of the tide in the Cold War'. Meanwhile in the Imperium, things were a different matter. Lelouch worked to suppress any negative talk about the war which had become an embarrassment for him. In his history books, the war was described as ending in a 'draw', where neither side lost or won. It was one of the things Lelouch changed about the war in order to try and keep the population in line.Category:Wars Category:Conflicts Category:Galactic conflicts Category:First galactic war